The two-time World Cup-winning captain of West Indies Darren Sammy has the highest strike rate in T20 World Cup of 164.12 from 25 matches.
As is always the case, a lot will boil down to how batters perform and lead their teams in the T20 World Cup. Battters not only need to be responsible and notch up big scores, but they also need to maintain high strike rates in this format to ensure that they score quickly enough to help their team’s chances of posting big scores or chasing down large targets.
It, therefore, goes without saying that players with the highest strike rates in the T20 World Cup are also some of the most successful ones. Besides KL Rahul and Imran Nazir, all the players mentioned in the top five list of players with the highest strike-rate have won the T20 World Cup with Darren Sammy winning it twice.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the list:
Highest strike rate in T20 World Cup: Top 5
| Pos | Player | Team | Matches | Strike Rate | Runs | Avg |
| 1 | Darren Sammy | West Indies | 25 | 164.12 | 215 | 17.91 |
| 2 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 34 | 154.23 | 546 | 18.82 |
| 3 | KL Rahul | India | 5 | 152.75 | 194 | 48.50 |
| 4 | Imran Nazir | Pakistan | 13 | 150 | 300 | 25 |
| 5 | Kevin Pietersen | England | 15 | 148.33 | 580 | 44.61 |
Darren Sammy, West Indies – Strike Rate: 164.12
West Indies captain Darren Sammy has a strike rate of 164.12 which is the highest for a batsman in T20 World Cup history. He has played 25 matches in the T20 World Cup during his career and although he has managed only 215 runs at an average of less than 18, the strike rate of over 164 more than made up for it.
It was quite clear that Sammy’s role in the West Indies squad was to arrive at the death and smack quick runs. 42* off 20 deliveries against Pakistan in the 2014 T20 World Cup was his best in the event. In fact, he is the only captain to win two T20 World Cups as the side from the Caribbean are the only team to win the T20 World Cup on more than one occasion, doing it in 2012 and 2016.
Shahid Afridi, Pakistan – Strike Rate: 154.23
One of the hardest hitters of the ball in T20 cricket history, Shahid Afridi was the guardian of the Pakistan middle order. The former captain of Pakistan also won the T20 World Cup and was elected as the man of the match in the final against Sri Lanka in 2009, scoring 54* off 40 balls and also taking a wicket.
Afridi has a strike rate of 154.23 for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup and he has slammed 546 runs at an average of just over 18. A dashing all-rounder, ‘Boom Boom’ Afridi is also the second-highest wicket-taker in T20 World Cup history with 39 dismissals.
KL Rahul, India – Strike Rate: 152.75
Indian opening batsman KL Rahul is third on the list of players with the highest strike rate in T20 World Cup. He has played just a single edition of the T20 World Cup last year in UAE and slammed 194 runs in five matches at an average of 48.50 and more importantly, at a strike rate of 152.75.
The right-hander did the bulk of the damage when batting against Scotland in Dubai. He slammed an 18-ball half-century against them to score the joint-fastest half-century of the T20 World Cup 2021 and Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik also matched his efforts a few days later against the same opponents.
Imran Nazir, Pakistan – Strike Rate: 150
Former Pakistan batsman Imran Nazir didn’t have a prolonged career at the top level of cricket. However, he did make a strong impact as an opener and slammed 300 runs in 13 matches at an average of 25. He has a strong strike rate of 150 and was especially lethal in the powerplay phase of an innings.
Imran last played an international match for Pakistan in 2012, a T20I against Sri Lanka. His T20I career came to an end after 25 matches where he scored 500 runs at an average of just over 21.
Kevin Pietersen, England – Strike Rate: 148.33
One of the best middle-order batsmen produced by England in the modern generation, Kevin Pietersen was also immensely successful in the T20 format of the game. He had a wonderful technique that allowed him to deal with a variety of bowling attacks and always came out on top in battles with opposition bowlers.
Batting at a strike rate of 148.33, the former England captain has notched up 580 runs in 15 matches in the T20 World Cup and at a splendid average of over 44. His most important contribution was when he made valuable 47off 31 balls to take his team home in the 2010 T20 World Cup final against Australia.
FAQs
Who had the highest strike rate in T20 World Cup 2021?
Among players who scored more than 50 runs across the competition, Pakistan’s Asif Ali leads the list with a strike rate of 237.50 during the T20 World Cup 2021.
Who has scored the highest individual score in T20 World Cup history?
New Zealand’s former player and captain Brendon McCullum scored 123 runs off just 58 balls against Bangladesh, making it the highest T20 score by a batsman in all T20 World Cups.
Who has hit the most sixes in T20 World Cup?
Dynamic West Indies batsman and former captain Chris Gayle holds the record of scoring the most sixes in T20 World Cup and has 63 innings to his name in 31 innings – almost twice more than Yuvraj Singh in second place, who hit 33 sixes in 28 innings.
Who has scored the fastest half-century in T20 World Cup?
Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh smashed the fastest 50 in T20 World Cup history after bringing up his fifty in just 12 balls against England in 2007. It is also the fastest half-century in all of international cricket.
Who holds the record for scoring the fastest century in T20 World Cup?
Chris Gayle scored the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, taking only 48 balls against England to reach the three-figure-mark in 2016.
